Humiliation's Hope

“I have become a laughingstock to my friends, though I called upon God and He answered - a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless!"

Job 12:4

HUMILIATION HURTS. It is deeply painful. Humiliation comes when embarrassment is prolonged. Prestige and status are lost. It is a confusing state in which to live. People relate to humiliation like leprosy. Humility is admired, while humiliation is looked upon with suspicion - even disdain. At best, it receives pity. It is ominous to simply survive in shame.

People whom you thought would be at your side have walked away during this time of disgrace. Their excuse is they do not know what to say. This may be true, but beyond their speechlessness is a fear of association with failure. They are afraid others will think they are condoning your situation, or they are afraid others will see them afflicted with your same ailment. You are mortified. You feel abandoned by God and betrayed by people.

You are on the precipice of depression, and it is entirely possible you have fallen over its edge. You feel paralyzed - bewildered. But things may not be as bad as they seem. Do you have your health? Does the Lord love you? Are you still in business? Maybe you have blown it beyond belief, and to your chargrin you find yourself at the lowest point of your life. However, what humiliation tears down, humility can build back up in Christ.

Our God is the God of multiple chances. He understands, forgives, loves, and brings beauty out of pain. There is nothing you can do to erase the past or to clear up all the misunderstandings. What you can do is allow God to use this time of shame to bring Himself fame. He can be trusted, and He is faithful even thorough the depts of despair.

Let Him love you through this hard time. As Job lamented, “Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him” (Job 13:15). Our hope is in Jesus Christ. Every other pseudohope brings disappointment and delayed pain. Avoid these caricatures of peace, and cling to the Prince of Peace. Turn to your sympathizing Jesus, and He will soothe and heal your soul.

Lastly, we have an obligation to give hope to those hung up in humiliation. Do not try to diagnose their situation. Rather, pray for them. Be there to listen to them, while pointing them back to Jesus. Help transform their humiliation to humility by restoring them. Paul said it well, “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted” (Galatians 6:1).

Have I allowed the Lord to transform my humiliation into humility? Whom can I humbly serve who has been humiliated?